Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The report of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision for Change, which was launched in January 2006, provides a framework for action to develop modern, high quality mental health services over a seven to ten-year period. The Government has accepted the report as the basis for the future development of mental health services. The Health Service Executive has primary responsibility for implementing the recommendations of A Vision for Change.

Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its vote. The Department of Health and Children has been advised by the Health Service Executive that the additional €51.2 million development funding was not used as planned because of competing expenditure pressures and the overriding obligation on the Health Service Executive to live within its approved overall allocation. As a result, some of the planned developments in mental health services have been delayed. However, some of these developments will proceed in 2008, for example, the recruitment of eight child and adolescent mental health teams and the provision of 18 beds for children and adolescents.

In regard to the sale of property, I assume the Deputy is referring to The Lie of the Land report recently launched by the Irish Psychiatric Association. The report gives examples of proceeds of assets allegedly lost to psychiatric services over a 20 to 25-year period. A small number of assets disposed of in the past two years are identified. A Vision for Change is very clear on this issue and recommends that resources, both capital and revenue, should be retained in the mental health service. It also recommends that the full economic value of psychiatric hospital buildings and lands should be professionally assessed towards identifying appropriate future use and maximum value and benefit. The value of these assets significantly counterbalances the capital cost of the new mental health services infrastructure requirement. I have asked the Health Service Executive to provide for me a report on The Lie of the Land report, especially in so far as it relates to the disposal of assets in the past two years.

The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, has also made it clear to the Health Service Executive in the context of its service plan for 2008 that there can be no question of diverting capital or development funds to meet expenditure pressures arising in regard to core services. I will meet the Health Service Executive shortly to pursue these issues.

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